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Effectiveness of Firearms Identification in Solving Criminal Cases as Perceived by Police Investigators

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Effectiveness of Firearms Identification in Solving Criminal Cases as Perceived by Police Investigators
ABSTRACT
EFFECTIVENESS OF FIREARMS IDENTIFICATION IN SOLVING CRIMINAL CASES AS PERCEIVED BY POLICE INVESTIGATORS

BY: PHILIP B. MAGTAAN
Master of Science in Criminology

Introduction In our country today, there are so many violent crimes involving the use of firearm. However, with the declaration of in September 1947, there was a mark decline in violent crimes. The first year of military rule revealed that crimes involving firearms could be relatively deterred. A great number of unlicensed and unregistered firearms owned by so many irresponsible individuals were surrendered. On the other hand, of late, in the rural as well as in the urban areas, there has been a resurgence of numerous crimes involving firearms and such incidences have been recorded and publicized in different kinds of media. Over the years it has become increasingly evident that the crime problem is exceeding the capabilities of the criminal justice system to control or even contain such. Crimes of robbery, assault, murder, homicide, rape or any other violent crimes which involves the use of firearm appear on headlines in most of the news in the television, radio and leading newspapers. The rise of crime rates has prompted a public awareness of the seriousness of the problem.
Law enforcement agencies, especially the Philippine National Police (PNP) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) are the one responsible in the investigation of these crimes. In their drive against those crimes, they are guided by “Forensic Ballistics” – it is the science of firearms investigation and identification.
Scientific examination of physical evidence recovered during the investigation of criminal offenses plays an important role in the war against crimes. Crimes involving the use of firearms represent a significant area of investigation. Evidences were present in all crimes, and need to interpret and process to determine what really transpired in the crime. The findings must corroborate with the
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